From Notre Dame To Napoleon’s Tomb: Mind-Blowing Monuments That Nearly Became a ‘John Wick’ Set For Keanu Reeves’ Gun-Fu Scenes

Even though John Wick 4 features stunning global locations, Chad Stahelski considered iconic monuments like Napoleon's Tomb and Notre-Dame for the film's backdrop.

From Notre Dame To Napoleon’s Tomb: Mind-Blowing Monuments That Nearly Became a ‘John Wick’ Set For Keanu Reeves’ Gun-Fu Scenes

SUMMARY

  • John Wick: Chapter 4 is the highest-grossing film among all the four films in the franchise, having earned $425.3 million and still counting.
  • The film boasts some stunning locations from Berlin, Osaka, and Tokyo to New York City, Jordan, and Paris. But some beautiful monuments also could have almost been a part of it.
  • Chad Stahelski revealed that there were two specific locations he had in mind for the 4th installment of John Wick. The first is Napoleon's Tomb and another is Notre-Dame.
Show More
Featured Video

John Wick 4 was one of the most successful flicks of 2023, with Keanu Reeves returning as the famous hitman to defeat the High Table.

Advertisement

It was praised for its crowd-pleasing screenplay and the amazing performance by the lead star. With the success of John Wick: Chapter 4, the franchise has crossed the $1B mark in worldwide box office revenue.

A still from John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
A still from John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

Among the four films in the franchise, Chapter 4 is the highest-grossing, having earned $425.3 million and still counting. The film features some of the best locations in the world. But the more interesting thing about the film is those monuments that have almost been a part of it.

Advertisement

Also read: Ke Huy Quan Made One Emotional Indiana Jones Reference During His Short Role as OB in Tom Hiddleston’s Loki Season 2

Chad Stahelski Had These Two Historic Wonders in Mind for Keanu Reeves Strarrer John Wick 4

In a recent interview with Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz, Chad Stahelski revealed that there were two specific locations he had in mind for the 4th installment of John Wick. 

Keanu reeves and the Director Chad Stahelski
Keanu Reeves and the Director Chad Stahelski

When Horowitz asked the action-thriller director, “Is there a location that alluded you? I mean you cover a bunch of the iconic spots in this one?” Stahelski said:

Advertisement

“I think I really wanted the Pantheon, I really wanted like Napoleon’s Tomb and all of that and I really wanted Notre-Dame. I really wanted it, Saint-Eustache turned out to be fantastic great gothic church but it was originally returned to be Notre-Dame but it was still under construction and I said that was cool but they didn’t, they were biting, ‘I said, I’m absolutely fine.’”

The 55-year-old director wanted to shoot at Napoleon’s Tomb and Notre-Dame but his plans were scrapped when he didn’t get the permission to do so.

Napoleon's Tomb and Notre-Dame
Napoleon’s Tomb and Notre-Dame

Then he chose to shoot in St. Eustache in Paris, France. It is located next to Les Halles, which has a richly decorated interior. The church is a grand Gothic architectural masterpiece with early French Renaissance and Romanesque artistic elements. This location was used when John Wick (Keanu Reeves) meets Caine in an unnamed gothic church in the film.

If talked about Napoleon’s Tomb, it is located at Les Invalides in Paris, specifically built to house the mortal remains of Napoleon Bonaparte. Then, there comes Notre-Dame, which is a medieval Catholic cathedral located on the eastern end of Île de la Cité in Paris, France.

Advertisement

Also read: Loki Season 2 Almost Robbed Fans of Wholesome Ke Huy Quan Role With a Different Variant Before Coming to Their Senses

John Wick 4 Has Global Shooting Locations That Elevated Film’s Aesthetic

Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves on the set of John Wick Chapter 4
Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves on the set of John Wick: Chapter 4 in Paris

The John Wick movies have always had a great aesthetic to them. But the locations that are featured in John Wick 4 literally stood out from its predecessors.

The most intriguing thing about the film is its shooting locations. It boasts some stunning locations from Berlin, Osaka, and Tokyo to New York City, Jordan, and Paris. These spots added a unique aesthetic to the film’s action sequences.

Advertisement
Avatar

Written by Shreya Jha

Articles Published: 947

Shreya is an Entertainment News Writer at Fandomwire. She has over a year of experience in journalistic writing with a deep knowledge of entertainment world. After completing her bachelor's program in Journalism and Mass Communication, Shreya is now pursuing her master's degree in the same. Apart from being an avid reader, she's a huge Swiftie and K-culture buff. So yeah, when she's not writing, she will be caught listening to Tay or watching "Business Proposal" for the 100th time.